I’m a big believer that kids should avoid early sports specialization and participate in variety of activities. Research has shown time and time again that a breadth of athletic opportunities produces the best athletes and reduces injury and burnout risk. The vast majority of professional athletes were multi-sport athletes far longer than individuals who focused on one sport early (for a great read on this, check this out). In my opinion, soccer is one of the best sports to play to become a better baseball player. Here’s five reasons why. 1. Soccer is great exercise. I love baseball, but a game of soccer is vastly superior in terms of exercise. In today’s age of video games and cell phones, we need to be more concerned about developing healthy individuals before worrying about developing college or professional baseball players. 2. Soccer is a great form of “random” athletic development. Like basketball and hockey (and largely unlike baseball), soccer is a fast-paced game with random movement needs. This leads to a greater athletic development and greater movement transfer to other sports. Studies have shown that movements developed in “attacking” sports like soccer, hockey, and basketball have a greater transfer to other activities. 3. Soccer develops the leg adductors and internal rotators. This is huge. What is one of the most common problems in youth hitting – stepping in the bucket or flying open. Why? Often hitters simply lack the lower body control due to weak adductors and internal rotators. Soccer players have tremendous adductor strength – almost to a fault. They have to work on their abductor strength to prevent injury.

4. Soccer is cheaper. Let’s face it – baseball is an expensive sport to play. Team fees, gloves, bats, helmets, on and on. Soccer, well … bring some cleats. Why not save a little money for later, develop better athletes, and enjoy some soccer. 5. Soccer is fun! Soccer is the most popular sport in the world for a reason. And who knows how many potential soccer stars missed out by focusing on baseball too early. Maybe the U.S. would have done better in recent World Cups. Remember, the first step in baseball player development is athlete development. Soccer is a great way to do this!